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Topic: Indole 3-alkylation (Read 1645 times)

Rhodium

For example, 2-dimethylaminoethanal would give DMT, and alpha-bromo-acetaldehyde would give 3-(2-bromoethyl)-indole, which in turn would be ready for alkylation by any dialkylamine to give the corresponding N,N-dialkyltryptamine.

General indole C3 reductive alkylation conditions have been developed. The scope of this reaction includes C2 unsubstituted indoles, aryl and alkyl aldehydes, as well as N–H and N-alkyl indole substrates.

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Rhodium

Their examples does not include nitro-alkenes, but all alkenes with any electron-withdrawing group whatsoever worked in their synthesis, so it is highly likely that this can be used to produce 1-(3-indolyl)-2-nitropropenes in a single step from indoles and 3-acetoxy-2-nitro-propene. This can in turn is made by condensing formaldehyde with nitromethane (yielding 2-nitro-propane-1,3-diol), acetylating the diol with Ac2O or AcCl and distilling in vacuo to give the nitroalkene (se refs at the bottom).

AbstractA new functionalization of indoles via palladium-catalyzed reaction of indoles and 2-acetoxymethyl substituted electron-deficient alkenes is reported. The reaction was carried out under neutral condition and no isomerization of the carbon–carbon double bond was observed.